It
used to be one of the best muni tracks in the Bay Area. But that
was two decades ago, when pastel stripes were in, tee times were
tight, and options for public play were fairly limited. A nice new
course, with plenty of airspace, good turf, and a little nuance
to the layout, was a welcome addition to the straight up-and-back
glorified cow fields that comprised many of the alternatives. The
drive to Rohnert Park, for something a notch above the norm, became
a natural part of the avid players' regular rotation.

And then came the golf boom, and a proliferation of quality daily-fee
operations. The competitive dynamics in the Bay Area had changed,
and as they did, the North course at Mountain Shadows had become
decidedly haggard and long-of-tooth. Design flaws and maintenance
issues became glaringly apparent. Winter rains often rendered it
unplayable for weeks at a time. Golfers went elsewhere and never
came back. And as things got worse, cynicism in the community became
pervasive. The place was snidely referred to by locals and other
players, as Mountain Shambles.

Then, in 2001, Petaluma-based CourseCo entered into a 30-year lease
situation with the City of Rohnert Park. Included in the deal was
a substantial CourseCo investment in a two-part modernization and
revival of the City-owned golf complex. A contest was held to coincide
with the re-opening and re-tooling of the South Course, and the
facility was renamed Foxtail Golf Club. Now this May, the North
course makes it's debut, to the tune of a $3.5 million overhaul.
"This should not be considered a tune-up or a remodel,"
proclaims CourseCo CEO, Tom Isaak. "This is a new golf course.
We plowed virtually every square foot of land out there and re-contoured
it. The only things that are the same, are that the holes are in
the same places they used to be." And though the routing remains
essentially intact, even that has been slightly altered, as several
greens and tees have been relocated to accommodate the new aesthetics
and length modification.

In all, 95 acres were reconstructed, including the building of 7
brand new greens. The 11 others were completely re-contoured, and
all were resurfaced with dominant-plus bent grass "The old
greens were sloped back-to-front, monotonously about 4%," says
Isaak. "That's simply too radical - they were dysfunctional."
Architect Gary Linn concurs, "they were back-to-front ski slopes
that weren't really pinnable from a fairness standpoint." Also
in the new mix are a total of 45 new bunkers, 150,000 square feet
of real tee boxes, 20,000 lineal feet of concrete cart path, and
the creation of 20 acres of native meadowland. These meadow areas
will replace formerly out-of-play rough sections, and when fully
grown with a variety of long fescue grasses, will provide environmental
habitat, as well as significant textural contrast and artistic value
to the overall landscape. The meadow areas will also compliment
substantially increased wetlands and water acreage, as all the ponds
and lakes were drained and regraded to provide new size, shape and
edge treatments. Visually, the changes are dramatic.

To anyone who remembers the old Mountain Shadows a decade or two
back, characterized by staked trees, free wielding air space, bland
fairways surrounded by housing, this new version offers a totally
different feel. The redwoods and sycamores have grown up, the holes
are now framed, giving rise to the hillside backdrops beyond, and
a sense of a much more mature and cultivated golf course.

To institute the re-do, Isaak interviewed several architects, among
them notables John Harbottle, Fred Bliss, and Ron Fream. Ultimately
the decision went to former VP of Design from the Robert Trent Jones
II group, Gary Linn. "He not only has the artistry and track
record, but is a consummate professional," says Isaak. One
of the key criteria was geographic proximity, so that the architect
could truly focus on this particular project. Isaak comments that
Linn's documentation and field notes were impeccable and that his
instructions to contractors and ownership were integral in ensuring
that the process proceeded smoothly. "He made it clear to contractors
in pre-bid conferences that we would not tolerate change orders,"
explains Isaak. But beyond that, "when you look at the shape
and contouring of his greens and bunkers, you can see that this
is not just an engineer, but a guy with legitimate artistic ability."

That sense is perhaps best exemplified in Linn's stylish bunker
work. "The old bunkers were both artistically and technically
cookie cutter shapes on mounds, they didn't have visual appeal,"
says Linn. "There are different ways to do bunkers, and I believe
you ought to see them. You can put in new irrigation and drainage,
but for the guy in the street, that doesn't catch anybody's eye.
But standing on the tee and seeing these new bunkers and what they
do strategically and visually, that really jumps out as being something
different."

Linn favors flashed faces and what he calls descending noses, as
characteristics of his bunkering. Rather than a deepened hole filled
with sand, his bunkers have a definitive upward sweep, often blocking
the player's view with a less than subtle dare to try and carry
them. The grass portions (noses) extend downward into the bunker,
lending more definition and style. And where in most bunker types
the grass occupies a high point on a rounded mound, "we did
just the opposite, and made them saddled and dished out, so the
sand flashes up high, and the grass is low," explains Linn.
"It tends to show off the sand more."

A prime example is hole #5-now the number one handicap-a dog-leg
left, that used to have a fairway bunker that was easily flown,
encouraging players to cut the corner and totally avoid the water
on the right. That tee has been moved back, and the bunker now presents
a definitive barrier, with a raised upshoot. At 268 yards out, with
a skyward tilt, the bunker now forces players to go to the right,
bringing the water into play and making the hole much longer and
far more dangerous. At 460 from the back tees, it is an infinitely
more challenging and interesting par four.

Instrumental to the overall project at both courses, is Foxtail
course superintendent, Dick Rudolph, who offers stellar credentials
from former positions at prestigious La Costa and Aviara. The installation
of totally new drainage and irrigation systems will avail the property
of his significant expertise and commitment to maintaining top-level
turf conditions. This was a virtual impossibility and source of
ongoing frustration for Rudolph, when operating with the previous
systems.
Rudolph joins Director of Golf, John Theilade, as part of the on-site
Foxtail management team. "We're focusing on getting people
back from the surrounding area that have found other places to go,"
says Theilade. "I want people to know we've completely redone
this golf course - quality for affordable pricing, it's hard to
believe until you see it, especially compared to what it was!"
One subtle example is the construction of legitimate elevated tee
boxes, each slightly higher than the one in front of it. "The
old ones were free form amoeba's that added to some of the problems
out there," says Linn. "By adding classic style rectangular
tees, we're able to spread out play and get them aimed where people
are intended to go."

A snack bar has also been added to the pro shop, where before, golfers
were relegated to the banquet facilities, often leaving them with
nowhere to go, during a conflicting event.

Integral to the new Foxtail package, is the CourseCo corporate strategy
and commitment to affordability and bang-for-the-buck. With a number
of courses in their management arsenal, CourseCo deliberately eschews
the higher end, opting for genuine value at the mid range. Foxtail
North will be priced at $32 Monday-Thursday, $36 on Friday's, and
$48 on weekends. Cart fees are an additional $12 per player. "I
don't consider it a muni," says Theilade. "It has more
of the feel of a high-end daily-fee course, because that's what
it is - only without the high-end price." And while environmental
concerns have long been a hot button within the industry, the North
Bay can now claim an endangered species of it's own  a first-class
golf course of genuine architectural quality for under $50 a round.
The shadows are gone, and the Fox has emerged triumphant.